


In Terra Pax Hominibus

by Freedom_Shamrock



Series: Aang Week 2015 [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang Week, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 00:42:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8555902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/pseuds/Freedom_Shamrock
Summary: Aang waking up the morning after the last scene of the series.





	

The little house was strangely quiet in the predawn hours. It wasn’t an awkward silence. It wasn’t heavy or oppressive, either. Toph and Sokka had both settled in, rolled over, and stopped snoring some time ago. Closing his eyes and placing his palm on the stone floor, he smiled as he counted the heartbeats of his sleeping companions. All here. All safe.

Pushing aside his light blanket, Aang got up from his pallet. He took careful steps, keeping his heels off the floor until he got to the back door. It had squeaked atrociously yesterday, so he opted to hop out the wide window beside it, landing lightly on the stone patio of the back garden.

He stood for a moment, his head tipped skyward, gazing at the bright pinpoints of light in the tapestry of black. The stars were different here than back home, but he’d gotten so used to that in the last nine months it didn’t jar him the way it had when he first woke up in the Southern Water Tribe. It was hard to believe how much had happened in that short time. Then again, the world had been so ripe for change after a hundred years of waiting, perhaps the rush made sense.

Yesterday he’d slept in; he could’ve done the same today, and he wasn’t quite sure why he hadn’t. The meetings leading up to treaties wouldn’t start for another week. For the first time in months, his sleep had been untroubled by nightmares,. All the worries of his young mind had been set at ease. The fire lord was no longer someone to fear. His friends, his family, were safe and recovering from what harm they’d taken. He knew where he stood with Katara, and it was exactly where he wanted to be.

He closed his eyes and smiled as the evening at the Jasmine Dragon replayed in his head.

Letting out a content sigh, he padded across the flat stones, to the low wall surrounding the patio. He sat down, facing the garden, and pulled his feet up to rest above his knees. Laying his hands palm up on his thighs, he closed his eyes and embraced the comfort of morning meditation. He had no memory of learning tranquil abiding. It had been part of his routine for as long as he could remember. After an unmeasurable time of simply being, he felt a hesitant approach from behind. He recognized Katara’s steps without really meaning to, and in that moment he realized he knew what had woken him. He hadn’t felt this since just before learning he was the avatar.

He turned and held out a hand, silently encouraging her to come closer. His breath caught a little as her palm slid over his, and he idly wondered if she’d always have that effect on him. Without releasing his hand, she sat next to him, her legs dangling against the wall. Shyly, as if he wasn’t sure it was really allowed, he stretched up to gently touch his lips to her cheek. Watching her eyes flutter closed and feeling her lean into him brought him such joy that he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Wanting to cling to the closeness, he settled his head on her shoulder. She let go of his hand to slip her arm around his back. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of pure contentment.

“Do you feel that?“ he whispered, gesturing vaguely into the air in front of them. "Do you hear it?”

“What is it?” she asked.

“Peace.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: peace  
> Note: This was written as a part of a speed-writing exercise. I was permitted 30 minutes to write a complete story based off a prompt.


End file.
